Motorola is up to bat with their most competitive corporate device in years — they’re aiming squarely at the fine boys and girls at RIM — and coupled with the latest Android OS and the nation’s largest voice and data network, they mean business. Does that mean they have come up with the best business-focused handset on Verizon Wireless? How on earth will you be able to choose between a Motorola DROID Pro, a BlackBerry, or another Android handset? Hit the break to find out our thoughts!

Verizon Wireless shot us over a Motorola DROID Pro handset this weekend and after spending some time with it, here are our first impressions of the little bugger. For starters, the device looks better in person than it does in the press / online photos. It is a little awkward at first, being a vertically-oriented display as opposed to a horizontally-positioned screen on a traditional BlackBerry, but after you pick up the phone and start using it, you realize this is the only way the phone could work. As far as the screen goes, it’s probably our biggest disappointment — the resolution. We realize it’s not a huge screen but 480×320 pixels in a world of 960×640 and 800×480 isn’t doing the DROID Pro any favors. The display is also not terribly vivid or crisp, and it reduces the powerful impact the DROID Pro has. Besides the display, though, the Motorola DROID Pro continues to impress us. Not because it’s the greatest Android handset released, but because of the purpose it serves. We joked with someone that this is the RIM Antichrist on Verizon, and it is. It’s a direct assault on RIM, and as BlackBerry-loving individuals, we actually love this phone. The keyboard is almost identical to BlackBerry Bold keyboards, right down to the placement of each key (besides the ALT and Shift keys, which are swapped) and keys’ shape. The keyboard is pretty easy to type on, though the keys are a little bit firmer than we would have liked. Hopefully that changes a tad with continued use.

We love the weight of the device and the entire experience of using a candy bar Android phone with a QWERTY keyboard. We even like how there is a programmable application key (in BlackBerry terms a right convenience key) on the right side. Something we can’t move past, though? The ear speaker. Talking on the phone with the DROID Pro is probably the worst of any handset we can remember. The ear speaker crackles, is distorted, and it sounds like there is some weird noise cancellation going on. Sometimes, audio doesn’t even come through. We have to believe this is an issue with our specific unit — we can’t imagine they are all like this, though we did confirm with someone else in possession of a DROID Pro that they have noticed some weird ear speakers issues as well. We’ll let you know in our review how it turns out as Verizon is swapping our unit with a different handset. Check out the photos in our gallery below, including some shots with a BlackBerry Bold 9780 — it’s on!

Sony thinks their Google TV-enabled Internet TV product is the future of home television. We covered the announcement and played with the product a little bit at the press event, but there isn’t anything like getting up close and personal with something in your own environment. Your TV, your sofa, your own install and set up. Read on for our thoughts on Sony’s Internet TV Blu-ray player, and whether or not we think the future is here! More →

We just had some hands-on time with the HTC 7 Pro; which is due to hit Sprint sometime in the first half of 2011. The device sports a full QWERTY keyboard, 1 GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash — complete with horizontal sliding mechanism — and a 3.6-inch display. Sadly, the unit wasn’t functioning, so we took a handful of images for you to have a look at.

Earlier this month, we saw a leaked document that indicated T-Mobile would be getting a handset known as the “Motorola Begonia.” Now, Engadget is reporting some additional details on the device. According to the site’s tipster, the Begonia will be an Android 2.2 device — complete with BLUR UI — that is Motorola’s refresh of the first Cliq; possibly to be called the Cliq 2. The device is also said to have an “interesting” keyboard design; as it appears to be “one solid piece” without any spacing between the keys (maybe like the DROID/DROID2?). The Begonia will also support 3G hotspot creation, and… wait for it… Wi-Fi calling (formally known as UMA). We’re bullish on the Android 2.2, Wi-Fi calling, and hotspot support, but a little bearish on the inclusion of BLUR. Thoughts? More →

Hi there HTC Android fans, we have another present for you! We’ve just been sent in a handful of images of a new, unseen HTC handset that is destined for Verizon Wireless. This sleek, all-black, full-QWERTY Android 2.2 handset has all the makings of a flagship handset, including a 5 megapixel camera, micro-SD card slot, and SIM card for global roaming capabilities. The device has the model name ADR6325 and looks like it will be keeping the DROID 2 World Edition company in Verizon’s lineup. Kind of like we said back in August. What are you waiting for?! You know the other twelve images are beckoning you.

Today, Nokia announced that the ever-efficient Swype keyboard will be coming to Symbian S60 5th edition devices. The software keyboard, which is currently being launched as a limited beta, supports the N97, N97 mini, X6, 5800, and 5230 Nokia handsets. As Nokia explains: “Swype and Nokia have been hard at work to deliver a limited beta release to Nokia S60 5th edition device owners. Your feedback will be valuable to us in the coming weeks, and we are especially interested in how well Swype interfaces with the many types of applications you use every day.” If you are interested in getting Swype on your S60 device, hit the jump to see a quick video followed by the download link. More →

The Samsung EPIC 4G is Sprint’s second 3G/4G dual-mode Android handset. The full-QWERTY slider device is a member of Samsung’s Galaxy S line of phones, and packs the standard set of equipment expected of a high-end smartphone, 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, 4-inch Super AMOLED display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 5 megapixel camera with 720p video recording… you know, all the good stuff.

As some of you have been kind enough to point out, we have yet to publish our full review of Sprint’s Samsung EPIC 4G. We’ll admit, we have been a little delinquent in getting around to testing the device, but we’re on the case now. We recently opened up our shiny new EPIC, and have been tinkering with it very diligently in order to put together some first impressions for you. Hit the jump and let’s get started. More →

If you’re a keyboard lover and can’t kick that feature-phone addiction, there is a new handset on the block as of today. Samsung’s A927 Flight II sports a 3″ touch screen, sliding keyboard, and HTML browser. It is also full compatible with AT&T’s mobile TV service, featured a 2 megapxel camera, Bluetooth, aGPS, and support for up to 16GB of microSD storage. It’s available today from RadioShack stores, and most likely will be hitting AT&T store shelves in the coming week or so. More →

Well we knew it was coming, and now it is here. Today, Verizon Wireless made the Samsung Intensity II — a QWERTY-slider messaging phone — official. The device has a full horizontal slide-out QWERTY keyboard with external numeric keypad, 2.2-inch QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) screen, 1.3-megapixel infrared camera with night vision, Bluetooth, and micro-SD card slot (with support for up to a 32 GB card). The device will be available from Big Red for $49.99 on-contract (after a $50 mail-in rebate) in the next few weeks. We’ve got the official release all linked up for you. More →

With its unique swiping keyboard, Swype is taking the Android world by storm. The novel input method is gaining worldwide exposure with its inclusion on high profile handsets like the DROID X and by its free public beta for Android handsets. According to Chief Executive Mike McSherry, Swype expects to ship its keyboard on 50 handsets this year, 90% of which are Android. Not content with its good reputation amongst Android users, Swype is looking to expand to other platforms including the iPhone and devices including tablets. It has an iPhone version under development, courtesy of an employee who developed it in his spare time, but has not approached Apple about bringing it to the iOS platform. No word on if or when these alternate versions of Swype will go primetime, but with $6.6 million in funding from the likes of NTT DoCoMo and Samsung, they have the financial backing to bring these products to fruition quickly. More →

This morning, the crazy 16-month ride is over, as the ASUS Eee Keyboard has begun shipping via Amazon. Originally slated to be released in June of 2009, the Eee Keyboard was delayed until August, then October, and then fell off the face of the Earth until pre-orders finally kicked off last month. Running Windows XP, the Eee Keyboard packs an entire computer — complete with an Intel Atom N270 processor at 1.6 GHz, 1GB RAM, 16GB SSD, Wi-Fi b/g/n, HDMI out, built-in 5″ WVGA multitouch display and a battery rated for 4 hours — into the pretty tiny frame of a keyboard. Want in? That’ll be $599.

It has been a fun ride watching Asus’ EEE keyboard move from official debut at CES 2009 to rumored launch #1, rumored launch #2, and finally rumored launch #3, the point at which we stopped following the pseduo-launches of this vaporware innovative product. When it seems the sleek and sexy accessory was finally disappearing into the proverbial sunset, the EEE keyboard rises again and hits the rumor mill with yet another rumored launch date, an official product page at Amazon, and a wallet-busting pre-order price tag of $599. Though the official Amazon product page does not specify a shipping date, a hands-on video courtesy of Netbook News suggests the netbook-equipped Asus EEE Keyboard may start shipping as soon as April 23rd. Anyone willing to gamble six Benjamins on an EEE Keyboard that may arrive on your doorstep as early as next week?